January 25, 2004: Headlines: COS - Nigeria: Honolulu Advertiser: Anson Chong, who served in Nigeria as an assistant lecturer in economics in 1964-66, is now interim principal at St. Joseph School in Hilo, Hawai'i. For him, a more appropriate role for the Peace Corps is "preventive."

Anson Chong, who served in Nigeria as an assistant lecturer in economics in 1964-66, is now interim principal at St. Joseph School in Hilo, Hawai'i. For him, a more appropriate role for the Peace Corps is "preventive."

From his experience serving in both the Peace Corps and the U.S. Army, former Hawai'i politician Anson Chong opposes stationing volunteers in areas "deemed dangerous by American embassy professionals." If, for example, volunteers were placed into the Gaza Strip, Chong says, they "could be killed or kidnapped because of the strong anti-American sentiment."

With their well working again, Tunisian villagers no longer need to walk five miles for water.

Chong, who was also a foreign service officer in the Middle East, says: "Sending idealistic, competent Americans to the Third World or any other area that requests volunteers (such as) Eastern Europe is a great way for folks in those areas to experience, at firsthand, normal Americans, as opposed to much of the crap they get over there by their government media which is decidedly anti-American. This can only have a positive effect on American foreign relations, albeit in a small way."

When this story was posted in November 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

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Story Source: Honolulu Advertiser

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Nigeria

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